SSC Tuatara

The SSC Tuatara /ˈtuətɑːrə/ is a sports car designed, developed and manufactured by American automobile manufacturer SSC North America (formerly Shelby SuperCars Inc.). The car is the successor to the Ultimate Aero and is the result of a design collaboration between Jason Castriota and SSC. Initially powered by a 6.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine, the capacity of the engine was later reduced to 5.9 L (360.8 cu in) in order to allow the engine to have a higher redline of 8,800 rpm.[1] SSC had stated that the power output would be rated at 1,350 hp (1,000 kW) or 1,750 hp (1,300 kW) on E85 fuel, along with a 300 mph (483 km/h)+ top speed.

This article is about the sports car. For the experimental music band, see Tuatara (band). For the animal, see Tuatara.

SSC Tuatara
Overview
ManufacturerSSC North America
Production
  • 2020–present (100 units planned)
AssemblyUnited States: Richland, Washington
DesignerJason Castriota
Body and chassis
ClassSports car (S)
Body style2-door coupé
Layout Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive
DoorsButterfly
Powertrain
Engine5.9 L (360.8 cu in) SSC Twin-Turbo flat-plane crank[1] V8
Power output
  • 1,350 hp (1,000 kW) (91 octane)
  • 1,750 hp (1,300 kW) (E85 flex fuel)
  • 2,200 hp (1,650 kW) (Methanol, Non-Street Legal Upgrade)
Transmission7-speed CIMA automated manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase105.2 in (2,672 mm)[1]
Length182.4 in (4,633 mm)[1]
Width81.3 in (2,065 mm)[1]
Height42.0 in (1,067 mm)[1]
Curb weight2,750 lb (1,247 kg) (dry)[1]
Chronology
PredecessorSSC Ultimate Aero

Design and development
SSC Tuatara concept
SSC Tuatara Side View.

SSC began working on the development of the successor of the SSC Ultimate Aero in 2011. The new car named the Tuatara was previewed in concept form at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. In August 2018, seven years after the debut of the concept, the production version of the Tuatara was shown to the general public. Designed by ex-Pininfarina designer Jason Castriota, the car takes inspiration from the aerospace industry.

The Tuatara is named after the reptile,[2] found only in New Zealand, known for having the fastest molecular evolution of any living animal.[3]

Interior

The interior contains leather and Alcantara upholstery and the functions of the car are controlled through a touch screen located on the center console. There is a configurable instrument panel behind the steering wheel displaying important information about the car's status along with a 300 mph (483 km/h) speedometer. The car uses a camera system instead of traditional side-view mirrors. SSC claims that the interior can seat a 6-foot-5-inch (1.96 m) tall person wearing a helmet.[4]

Exterior

The car has a carbon-fiber body construction with aluminum crumple zones and incorporates active aerodynamics.[5]

Performance

SSC claims the Tuatara has the lowest drag coefficient in its class at Cd=0.279.[1][4][6][7]

SSC has partnered with Nelson Racing Engines to build the engine, Linder Power Systems for engine sub-assembly fabrication and Automac for the production of the 7-speed automated manual transmission.[6] The transmission was later revealed to be a 7-speed automated manual manufactured by CIMA. The car has the following driving modes: "Sport", "Track" and "Lift". In Sport mode, the ride height is 4 in (102 mm) at the front and 4.5 in (114 mm) at the rear. In Track mode, the ride height lowers to 2.75 in (70 mm) at the front and 3.75 in (95 mm) at the rear. The Lift mode is designed to protect the underbody of the car while driving over speed bumps or driveways.[7]

Production

The Tuatara is produced at a purpose-built facility in Richland, Washington, and production is limited to 100 cars.

World record attempts

On October 10, 2020, the Tuatara – according to SSC (pending independent confirmation) – claimed a disputed[8] production car top speed record, recording a one-way top speed of 331.15 mph (532.93 km/h) and a two-way average of 316.11 mph (508.73 km/h) on a seven-mile stretch of temporarily closed Nevada State Route 160 near Pahrump, outside of Las Vegas.[9] SSC claims that this speed beat the Koenigsegg Agera RS's record, which set a record on the same highway in 2017, by 46.6 mph (75.0 km/h).[10][11] British racing driver Oliver Webb piloted the car.[9] Independent analysis by Youtuber Shmee150 subsequently challenged the record's accuracy.[8][12] In a video on the SSC North America YouTube channel uploaded October 30, 2020, SSC's founder Jerod Shelby stated that the run had been ruined after they started seeing some doubts, and the only way to fix them was to re-run the top speed in the near future.[13] SSC released a statement on July 21, 2021 stating that the initial record attempt did not reach over 300 mph (483 km/h).[14]

A second top speed run was attempted in Florida on December 12-13, 2020, but the car was unable to exceed 252 mph (406 km/h) due to mechanical problems.[15]

On January 17, 2021, the Tuatara achieved a speed of 279.7 mph (450.1 km/h) during its northbound run and 286.1 mph (460.4 km/h) during its southbound with a two-way average of 282.9 mph (455.3 km/h) over the course of 2.3 miles (3.7 km) at Space Florida's Launch and Landing Facility.[16] American dentist and entrepreneur Larry Caplin, owner of the car, piloted it during the run, which was verified with multiple satellite tracking systems from Racelogic, Life Racing, Garmin, and IMRA.[17]

In April 2021 while traveling back to Florida to reattempt the speed record, the Tuatara was damaged after its trailer flipped over in high winds in Utah.[18]

On May 14, 2022, Larry Caplin’s Tuatara reached a one-way speed of 295 mph (475 km/h) over the course of 2.3 miles (3.7 km) at Space Florida's Launch and Landing Facility. This was verified by two Racelogic VBOX GNSS and a Life Racing GPS speed measurement systems, as well as a Racelogic technician on hand.[19][20]

Model variants

In May, 2020, SSC North America announced a soft reveal of two Tuatara variants that focused on track abilities.[21]

Tuatara Striker

The Tuatara Striker features additional aerodynamic components that increases downforce for track handling.[21]

Tuatara Aggressor

The Tuatara Aggressor has the same body style as the Striker, but allows the customer to choose from non-road legal options, such as racing seats and a 2,200 hp (1,650 kW) engine upgrade.[21]

Specifications
SSC Tuatara Tuatara Striker Tuatara Aggressor
Production 100 units combined 10 units
Engine 5.9 L (360.8 cu in)[22] V8, twin-turbo
Bore x stroke 4.125 in × 3.375 in (104.8 mm × 85.7 mm)[22]
Transmission CIMA 7-Speed robotized manual
Power (Horsepower) 1,350 hp (1,000 kW) 91 Octane
1,750 hp (1,300 kW) E85		 2,200 hp (1,650 kW) Option
Torque 984 lb⋅ft (1,350 N⋅m) 91 Octane[23]
1,322 lb⋅ft (1,800 N⋅m) E85[23]		 1,604 lb⋅ft (2,150 N⋅m) Option[23]
Aerodynamics Cd=0.279 1,100 lb (500 kg) downforce
0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) 2.5 sec TBA TBA
60–120 mph (97–193 km/h) 2.5 sec TBA TBA

"Little Brother" project

CEO Jerod Shelby has shared limited information about a "Little Brother" supercar in early development that will decrease the price-point of a Tuatara-related vehicle to make it available to a larger market.[24]

See also

References
  1. "Tuatara,SSC North America". SSC North America. July 6, 2019. Archived from the original on August 30, 2018. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  2. Elliott, Hannah (October 20, 2020). "This obscure US company now has the world's fastest car". Financial Review. Australia: The Australian Financial Review. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  3. "Tuatara evolving faster than any other species". New Zealand: Massey University. January 4, 2008. Archived from the original on February 10, 2011. Retrieved June 28, 2009.
  4. "2020 Tuatara Debut" (Press release). SSC North America. February 7, 2020. Archived from the original on September 23, 2020. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  5. Gilboy, James (February 7, 2020). "SSC Tuatara Finally Crashes The Hypercar Party with 1,750 American-Made Horsepower". The Drive. Brookline Media. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  6. "The Tuatara Released" (Press release). SSC North America. August 25, 2018. Archived from the original on August 26, 2018. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  7. Tahaney, Ed (February 10, 2020). "First 2020 SSC Tuatara Goes Public: 1,750 HP, 300 MPH, $1.6 Million". Automobile Magazine. Motor Trend Group. Archived from the original on February 18, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  8. Gardner, Daniel (October 29, 2020). "SSC Tuatara speed record under scrutiny". Which Car. Australia: Are Media. Archived from the original on October 27, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  9. "SSC's Tuatara is the fastest car in the world with 331mph top speed". Top Gear. UK: BBC. October 19, 2020. Archived from the original on October 19, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  10. Berk, Brett (October 19, 2020). "1750-HP SSC Tuatara Sets Record for Fastest Production Car". Car and Driver. Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on November 28, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  11. Wilkinson, Joseph (October 20, 2020). "Fastest car in the world: SSC Tuatara hits 316 mph in record-breaking drive". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  12. Did the SSC Tuatara REALLY Set a 331mph World Record?. YouTube. Shmee150. October 26, 2020. Archived from the original on November 19, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  13. Shelby, Jerod (October 30, 2020). Jerod Shelby | SSC Record Personal Statement. YouTube. SSC North America. Archived from the original on December 30, 2020. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  14. Hoffman, Connor (July 22, 2021). "SSC Finally Admits 1750-HP Tuatara Did Not Break 300 MPH". Car and Driver. Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on July 22, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  15. Mitchell, Robert (December 23, 2020). SSC Tuatara Second Record Attempt. YouTube. US. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  16. "Racelogic Certifies SSC Tuatara Record Speed" (Press release). Richland, Washington, USA: SSC North America. January 27, 2021. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  17. OFFICIAL: SSC TUATARA BREAKS WORLD RECORD. YouTube. Cape Canaveral: Driven Plus. January 27, 2021. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  18. Holderith, Peter (May 7, 2021). "Top Speed Record-Holding SSC Tuatara Wrecked in Car Carrier Crash". The Drive. Brookline Media. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  19. Blain, Loz (May 25, 2022). "SSC Tuatara owner clocks 295 mph (475 km/h) in just 2.3 miles". New Atlas. US. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  20. Petroelje, Nathan (May 25, 2022). "SSC does its homework; Tuatara hits 295 mph". Hagerty Media. US. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  21. Hood, Bryan (May 28, 2021). "The 1750 HP SSC Tuatara, the World's Fastest Car, Just Got Even More Powerful". Robb Report. US: Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on May 28, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  22. McTaggart, Bryan (October 21, 2020). "5.9L Of Concentrated Rage: Get A Closer Look At the SSC Tuatara's Powerplant!". Bang shift. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  23. Feder, Joel (May 27, 2021). "SSC Tuatara Striker and Aggressor unveiled with up to 2,200 horsepower". Motor Authority. MH Sub I, LLC. Archived from the original on May 27, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  24. Feder, Joel (October 19, 2020). "SSC "Little Brother" to be $400-$500K, 700-800-hp, scaled down Tuatara". Motor Authority. MH Sub I, LLC. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
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